alt-JEver the band with a taste for theatrics, alt-J, have released a haunting short film to accompany new single, Pleader, taken from their 2017 album RELAXER.
This is no normal video clip, in what could easily be the trailer for a new HBO period drama; Pleader examines life and death through the perspective of one mysterious family and a very peculiar child.
"When we set out to make a video for Pleader, Joe sent the following one line brief to director Isaiah Seret: 'a Welsh mining love story; a tidal wave of earth.' What Isaiah came back with was an epic short film," the band told NPR.
"A family must pit their desire to have a child against the knowledge that this would destroy their community. The hypnotic, hymnal quality of the song binds the video throughout, hinting at redemption while destruction takes place."
Featuring stunning visual effects of apocalyptic events, emotional performances and real birth footage lifted from an experimental film by Stan Brakhage, the short is nothing less than an exercise in masterful storytelling.
You can watch the short film for Pleader below.
Alt-J will be touring Australia next month with Warpaint, proudly presented by The Music; for more information, check out theGuide.
